Meet Ali Saleh, UAE football’s boy who would be king

Arabian Gulf League’s Best Young Player wants to see the UAE qualify for Qatar 2022

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When he was in his early teens, Ali Saleh was benched for a full season by his coach at Al Wasl. The prodigious 13-year-old never understood such treatment and was ready to give up playing football altogether.

 His dad Saleh convinced the youngster to stay. Two years later and a day after his 15th birthday, Ali made his debut against Al Ain to enter the history books of UAE football as the youngest-ever to play in a senior club squad.

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